Tigers at Reds
The Detroit Tigers continue to have issues in interleague play, a trend they will try to reverse when they cap a two-game series at the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday. A 9-5 loss to the Reds in Tuesday's opener left the Tigers with a 1-6 mark against National League teams, compared to 35-32 versus the American League.
Detroit won a season-high five straight and had a chance to reach .500 before it was blanked over the first eight innings Tuesday night, picking up five runs in the ninth to make it mildly interesting. Tucker Barnhart was 3-for-3 and Joey Votto clubbed a grand slam as Cincinnati improved to 24-30 since a 3-15 start that led to the firing of manager Bryan Price. Votto, who needs one game to tie Frank Robinson (1,502) for eighth place on the Reds' all-time list, has 12 RBIs over a 10-game stretch. He will be getting his first look at right-hander Michael Fulmer, who starts for the Tigers on Wednesday opposite Tyler Mahle.
TV: 12:35 p.m. ET, FS Detroit, FS Ohio (Cincinnati)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Michael Fulmer (3-5, 4.13 ERA) vs. Reds RH Tyler Mahle (5-6, 3.96)
Fulmer allowed one run on five hits over seven innings in each of his last two starts, picking up a win against Minnesota last time out. He yielded one run in 14 frames over two interleague starts - both against Pittsburgh - earlier in the year and owns a 2.47 ERA in seven career outings versus the National League. The 25-year-old, who will be facing Cincinnati for the first time, is 12-6 with a 2.50 mark in 27 career starts in day games.
Mahle is 2-0 with a 1.10 ERA in three starts in June, including 6 1/3 scoreless innings at Kansas City last Wednesday. The 23-year-old has made it through four consecutive outings without giving up a home run after serving up 13 in his previous nine starts. Mahle has never faced the Tigers but won his first two career interleague starts while giving up just one run in 12 2/3 innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Tigers CF Leonys Martin was 3-for-3 with two walks in five plate appearances Tuesday.
2. Reds CF Billy Hamilton is 5-for-8 with a home run and five runs scored over his last two games.
3. Cincinnati recalled RHP Jackson Stephens from Triple-A Louisville and optioned RHP Austin Brice to Louisville.